Ten years have passed. The Palace of the High Ones returns as the centerpiece of a grand celebration in Cutter’s holt. In the midst of it all, every relationship fans have cherished or wished for will be tested. New faces appear; joinings and partings abound—but whose, when, why, and at what price?

45 Comments

Great issue! It was wonderful seeing the trolls again. Also, Two Edge’s acceptance of the elves’ dining invite was heart warming. Ahh-So does this mean that Jink is Skywise and Timmain’s daughter? Also, where did Winnowill’s spirit go? I’m assuming it went into the ether of Abode based on Rayek’s words and actions, but I’m not sure. Also, how were the palace folk able to repel Winnowill? Why didn’t she end up slipping into the palace’s essence and terrorizing everyone? Ok, enough questions. Thanks for another great issue!

OBVIOUS SPOILERS
Winnie is still trapped within Rayek; he couldn’t let her go. He was able to subdue her again with Venka’s help. I though they handled the matter really well, actually
The fact that her power and rage was able to mute the Palace’s call was interesting, I wonder if that will rear its ugly head later on in the story.

Other points of interest:
– I never thought we’d see the new loner elf already! Not talking or sending, that’s a mystery!
– Moonshade and Strongbow’s embrace, awwwwww!
– Shuna’s remark of who/what came first, the spirits or the legends, was interesting. Could this be a clue to some sort of plot twist? Time travelling vessels make many plotlines possible, right?
– Cutter’s remark to Leetah about fading away, ugh, heartbreak.
– The ART!!! Seriously, maybe it’s me but the artwork is getting better with each issue, like Wendy is re-discovering the elves again after the Masque of Red Death.

Good issue! Not as eventfull as the preview texts implied but I’m so freaking excited!!!
What will happen next issue? I have this feeling that that’s when the story truly will lift off. The pieces have been placed, everything is in position.

Drub and Flam!!! Two of my favorite characters. I was so beyond pleased to see them. David, I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about the podcast; as a faithful listener and die hard fan, that’s saying something!

Yes, Winnowill is still trapped in Rayek. If Rogues Curse and the story of Winnie, Ekuar, and Rayek are cannon, she will be with him a very very long time.

I am really curious which Tribe Dre-Ahn is orginally from. Yes, and as pointed out on FB, he has a cleft chin (or so it appears to be one).

It seems that the 10 year span is within the issue, not between #9 and #10, since #9 ends with the palace arriving at the crumbled Blue Mountain and Rayek is there and 10 continues on with that, but then you see the panel where the call goes “blank” and it talks about how the others perceive it. I like Liv’s FB comment on it: “…Dre-Ahn feels the call is irresistable (I wonder if his size is a fluke, or if there’s something more behind it – #overanalysing), the Wavedancers feel they can take it or leave it, and the plant elves feel like the call is a nuisance and/or a threat – which is logical in their case. ‘We’re the most hidden of the hidden! Nobody knows of us or where we ar… Oh bugger.’ ”

Then, a few pages in, Dre-Ahn (who kinda looks like Teir) is there. How did he get there? Was Skywise the first one to greet him? How does Skywise know he sings sometimes? Did he come from Junsland, or Iceholt/Sunholt? I don’t think he’s from Hearthstone since it will take those elves awhile to get there.
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Moonshade and Strongbow almost made me cry

Everything is said for a reason so I am sure we will discover the meaning for Shuna’s remark about how spirits came: because humans believe or they believe because they came. Which I think they believe because the “spirits” came.

Oh, speaking of Elfquest helping us or how it influences our lives: I lived by Kahvi’s statement about cubs when I was a teen (and slightly rebellious and troubled): We do not own them, we raise them.
I find it easier to live in the “now”, or at least how humans in this world could live it.

Thanks for the clarification on Winnowill’s whereabouts. I know how selfish this is, but I really don’t want “Rogue’s Curse” to be cannon. I love Rayek-To me he best exemplifies how dynamic the character development in EQ is. The Pinis were able to completely flip my feeling toward Rayek from an intense loathing to pity, love, and admiration. I do NOT want to see him left behind when the palace takes off. However, it’s not my story to tell. And, quite frankly, the Pinis do such an amazing job with the story that I’m sure I’ll be content no matter what the outcome is.

– It is regretful that Winnowill doesn’t get a redemption story yet. Knowing that the elves and the palace could cleanse and heal her should have convinced Rayek to release her. How can the other elves let him walk off with a malevolent emprisoned soul inside him?! Doesn’t seem very evolved of them or Rayek. The elves have nobility and respect free will — what Rayek has opted to do delays, and possibly ends Winnowill’s chance at purification. It just seems reckless and almost immoral. They all passively accepted Rayeks decision to walk off with a ticking time bomb of evil inside him. With all that said — it makes sense that Rayek would stubbornly keep her as his possession. He wanted to do that with Leetah in the sun village.

– I agree that the 10 years appears to have taken place in this episode.

– Dre-Ahn’s mind could have been rifled through by Timmain, Savah or Suntop. How much information does Suntop gain when he connected to all elves? Just a sense of their existance or deeper?

Loved the issue, can’t stand the thought of waiting two more months for the next installment. But I’ve been re-reading the original quest chronologically and it is adding to my enjoyment of the Final Quest.

This was and continues to be my favorite fiction series. Thank you Wendy and Richard.

It made sense to have Rayek be that thick way back at the sun village but he’s had many years to evolve and change, and it’s been shown. Those actions don’t make as much sense to me now, post KOTBW.
He took her spirit in to keep it from destroying the palace, and he did do it as a sort of sacrifice. He may’ve had some personal motivation as well, but it never seemed like it was entirely selfish and in fact that action was part of his redemption arc. In some ways, this takes away from the canon of Rogue’s Curse. To have that seemingly taken away suddenly feels very out of character for him actually, and saddens me.

However, I really enjoyed seeing Shenshen thrive and shine where she loves. She makes an adorable human! Also loved seeing Strongbow and Moonshade reunited…. for a whole season of new green!

Re: the 10 year span. The use of rounded panels and one-page scenes reminded me very much of KotBW 7, how Wendy shows time passing in an effective. It didn’t actually feel like 10 years at my first reading, but taking into account how long elves live, it’s nothing to them after all.

I agree about Rayek’s seeming regression. However, perhaps he feels that he alone knows Winnowill well enough to be able to cure her, which is either a)true, considering how much time they’ve spent locked together, or b)a return to his haughty faith in the singularity of his abilities and mistrust of others. I think that option b is somewhat unlikely considering how humbled he was when he saw his parents. I truly believe that he has changed. I think that the rationale behind his actions has yet to be revealed; my money is on it having to do with him truly being the only one who can heal her. None of this excuses his possessiveness, but I chalk that up more to their somewhat stunted recognition than to his nature of old.

Curious about Aurek and wondering if Door is in the palace as well. Are all the gliders going to be together in some way or another (Aroree, Aurek, Door, & Windkin…Korafay?)?

I like Korafay and Brill but I really don’t care at all about the rest of the Wavedancers. Some will think this is terrible but I won’t be heartbroken to see some of them go away in some fashion … we need to make way for the Tree Elves besides. I love the idea of the wave dancers but they all feel so generic and boring.

Loving the group down in the caves. Great to get to know Audrey a little more.

So when are we going to get some fire makers in the story? It’s hinted at in the OT but we’re still waiting to see Wendy and Richard bring in into the fold…I’m guessing Dre-ahn might have something like that up his sleeve (BTW if he doesn’t speak, I’m assuming he just sang his name to Skywise … glad that happened behind the scenes because awkward!)

As far as Rayek goes, I really think it’s a case of as much as things change, some people just stay the same. I thought it was very in character for him, sadly so. I don’t think it necessarily negates Rayek’s past learning and growth, it’s just that old habits die hard. ​And this twist explains why he’s still wandering Abode as Winnowill’s captor 400 years in the future, and adds a totally new and different perspective on the Rogue’s Curse storyline. It’s a great example of how ElfQuest is like the Great Egg: each new story adds to and changes the meaning of the others.

Thornbrake: Rationally you’re right, of course. But it’s so hard to accept such a terrible, although self-inflicted-fate for Rayek. Hopefully there will be a continuation of “Rogue’s Curse” that demonstrates a new growth for Rayek and possible healing for Winnowill.

I’m sorry, I just never got that Rayek was that obsessed with Winnie to the extent of hoarding her healing … dude had problems, but come on. It was not to that extent. He repeatedly said over and over again that it was love that was required to cleanse her – not HIS love, but just love in general. I still don’t buy that his *must* have his love returned in the same way…. it didn’t come off that way at all in Rogue’s Curse. It would mean that Winnie never got a chance to talk or express how she felt, for 400 years, and it still discredits Rogue’s Curse, where he AND she had something like 400 years to dwell on the choice *he did not take*. That’s a lot of pondering, and for that not to be shown at all is just not at all believable. She killed so many and nearly took out Ekuar as well as him several times. If this was all just Rayek, then in a switch it makes Winnie a non-character, which again, is strange.
Meanwhile, Skywise, with his major abandonment issues and mommy/daddy stuff, gets treated to being able to have the mother of all wolf riders and a high one to boot wanting to snuggle with him. There’s a bit of a double treatment here between these two characters, and they both have major issues. Just because one isn’t directly tied to Cutter doesn’t mean he requires a lesser fate, and it sort of feels that way.

I am loyal to this story and always will be, however, because I like Rayek so much, I cannot help but feel he does deserve more of a solution. It doesn’t need to be neat or pretty or anything of the sort, but he has paid a lot of dues, not just of his own, but also of another character’s now as well.

In general of course I am looking forward to more issues and I really adore the artwork Wendy’s churning out. I don’t mean to sound negative, and I am not. It’s jaw-droppingly gorgeous work, and I love the changes in season as well as the immense detail in every elf’s face. Somehow it seemed very, very much IN character to see Drub all rouged and dyed to the gills. I adore her. The trolls make me smile, and I love the dynamic with Mender.

Spoilers…oh the front page should just say this is a spoiler thread anyway.

Cutter’s wolf is aging…so is that the 10 years?
TImmain looks as if she shrank herself down to 4ft tall so she could see eye to eye with Skywise! What an amazing thing…..she is an ancient being who awes him -( imagine meeting your 10x great grandmother) and so….she’ll have his baby?!? (if it really is recognition) For Skywise it must be staggeringly overwhelming. (Plus he must be remembering his dream and half expecting her to turn into someone else entirely!)

Heartrending moment between Cutter and Leetah…surely Leetah has long secretly hoped Cutter would one day become immortal but she would never push him. It has to be his choice. They both accepted his mortality before, but later as he carved those 500 notches in a tree he has been lost between mortal and immortal…wolfblood allowed the Wolfriders to live in the Now but Cutter has a harder time with the Now than even immortals do. He looks into the future as no other elf can. Does he fear there someday won’t be a place for the Wolfriders’ Way as the humans conquer the land? There is that tree in the orbiting nature preserve (?) in Rebels/Futurequest

Poor Rayek. When I read Rogue’s Curse (online…i had lapsed from EQ for about 20 years) I thought of it as penance for his sins. But if he had a chance to let Winnie go and be cleansed/healed but didn’t do so he is just stupid!!!

Honestly, I really don’t care much for the Djun. He feels like the obligatory bad-guy who kept the momentum of the story going in the first 5 issues. So he has created a fleet of warships, so what. If the wavedancers get in trouble, how easy would it be for the palace to save them if need be. The elves are quite powerfull at the moment so I don’t really see a threat there and so far his actual impact on the plot and the events we as fans are really looking forward to, is minimal.

That might all change of course, we never know what Wendy and Richard will come up with

I’m also not a huge fan of the Djun. He’s too one-dimensional for me. Also, I’m wondering how he managed to get into the seat of power at Citadel Mound. After being raised in exile, he took over a virtually nomadic group of mercenaries, right? How did he convince the people of Shuna’s city to accept another Djun after the revolt against his father? I would also like to see some more of his backstory-The years between his assumption of his father’s power and his assault on the Longriders/Capture of Ember. I think that might flesh out and add some more dimension to his character. I’ve never been fond of him, but basically lost all interest in him after he killed Gita.
I suppose the argument can be made that he’s the sociopathic product of a wretchedly abusive tyrant of a father; however, I still wish that there was more to him than that. His initial relationship with Gita showed a side to him that I’d like to see again: A more human one. Even if he remains a despicable monster, reading some humanizing motivations (Beside a lust for power and a reclamation of lost pride) would be something I’d like to see.
All that being said, I think he functions as much more than a basic antagonist. He and his actions are and I believe will continue to be the catalyst for the Palace’s departure and the decisions behind those who travel with it and those who stay on Abode. Also, Angrif Djun is perhaps even more important to the history of the humans than that of the elves. Which means that Future Quest may be directly shaped by his actions. Ok, so even though I wish there was a bit more to the character, I think he’s better done than I initially gave him credit for
By the way, I’d like to appologize for hogging the message boards today. This issue brought out a lot in me and I felt like I couldn’t keep it all to myself. I’ll try harder from here on out.

I still have to wait for the issue and will be very thankful for any spoilers. I find it astounding, that so few of you here or on facebook commented about Skywise and Timmain. So did they recognice now or not? And why does she look so different? Thanks a lot for any crumble of information

I liked the issue, but is was sooo short. Up until now I have been reading EQ in collections or on the website. Even the FQ I read the collection and then all of the issues 7-9 in a row. So this is a new experience for me. But here are some thoughts, I have on the issue and story in general:

Cutter:
He now still wants to stay at Abode. But I think the shattering moment of truth between him and Timmain will change something about his feelings/thoughts and his decision and he will decide to become immortal. Almost all of his family already are -Skywise and Leetha. That leaves Ember to carry on as the Wolfrider chief of the ones who decide to stay behind. (also hinted at in Future Quest, that Cutter might be the master of the palace)

Skywise and Timmain:
It only seems logical/natural to me. They have had a connection from the beginning. She spent the time when he was not there because of time travel with Cutter, but then always with Skywise. He was never so shy about her. Even dreamed about them being together (mentioned earlier in FQ I think, when he is lying in the palace, saying he is so full of the travels and everything and starts dreaming about Timmain) and I don’t mean the dream from Dreamtime. And about the new Timmini not being in character. Her high one form is only one part of her character. She changed back to a wolf from time to time and as a wolf she is very “down to earth”, full of life, no problem with being touched (elves always cuddling her, scratching her fur,…) and touching. So when she changes to Skywise-size it is for his love and it just fits that parts of her – her enjoying life just comes out then. About recognition: I am not sure, it really leads up to this. Maybe she just wants to enjoy herself with Skywise.

Timmain:
Someone mentioned she is back as a wolf on the next cover. I’d think she will choose to stay on Abode. She has been training the sunfolk, Skywise, Sunstream on how to use the palace, so one day they can use it without her. She is too much connected to Abode already with all her true children there.

Shuna’s remark about how spirits came:
Timmain answered that in the original Quest. They decided to land on Abode, because they saw images that reminded them of themselves and they wanted to investigate, if others of their kind had been on this planet. So they came, because humans believed, but because of the accident, humans believed, because they came. So it’s both. Very twisted. :->

Violethue, interesting take on the idea of Timmain staying behind. I initially just thought: School. It’s their heritage, they should understand it even if Timmain stays but you did make my wheels turn now. lol

Dessa, I think that the “I have to look for my daugther” (or something like that), that the master of the Palace says (supposed to be Cutter) makes us think of Jink, but that is a trap. I believe Cutter means he has to visit Ember, who is somewhere on Abode in hiding. But the whole scene is set up like that to make us think, he means Jink.

So Jink can very well be the daughter of Skywise and Timmain. Which also fits much better, beginning by the color of her hair (which she could have been changing, but I think it is her natural color) and her talents (shape changer).

@Violethue – All we can guess from Jink’s heritage, really, is that she’s Timmain’s daughter, and the product of recognition (because abilities like hers would be hard to find without Recognition involved, even with a High One as one parent). Neither Sunstream nor Ember have either of their parents hair color, so you can’t say that hair color means she has to be Skywise’s child.

And given that Jink is in the same panel where the Master says “We have to find my daughter,” I’m pretty sure the intent is clear.

The characters have been mistaken at times (such as believing to have found Rayek’s bones), and there have been vague hints of things that could be taken multiple ways, but I can’t think of any specific instance of explicit misdirection that we’ve ever been shown in ElfQuest.

Oh, I forgot earlier, but @Weaver – Which Door do you mean? The female Door I’m pretty sure Aurek would have found had she survived the fall of Blue Mountain. The male Door, on the other hand… IF he survived the fire of the Forevergreen, he’s still insane. Of course, there’s still he and Dodia’s child, who, if Windkin is anything to go by, will definitely be a Glider.

Hmm, I wonder what happened to her. I’m more certain she died, but who knows. I’m sure Aurek would have known unless she was dragged somewhere by Two-Edge. I went hunting for those page and ran across on3 of the reasons why the Two-edge scene was so special :)​

Hmmm, I wonder what happened to her. I’m more certain she died, but who knows. I’m sure Aurek would have known unless she was dragged somewhere by Two-Edge. I went hunting for those page and ran across on3 of the reasons why the Two-edge scene was so special :)​​

Did some more thinking about the map. The main question I have is where Ekuar and Rayek were when the call went out but I think it was in Abode’s Australia. Aside from that I’m feeling pretty good about my hunches on where the groups all were in that panel.

I started with the obvious ones first and did some guessing after that. I’m assuming that the larger stars mean that’s where larger groups of elves are. The star at the top of the Abodean South American continent is larger so I’m guessing that’s where the tree elves are (none of the other non-obvious ones are as large). We know Door was last in the Forever Green and that is also on that continent. The only two remaining places are the Australian continent and the Antarctic continent. Given that Rayek and Ekuar got to blue mountain, I put them on Australia…not sure if it was feasible for them to travel that distance as quickly as they did from there but Rayek is hella magic so I’m going with it. As for how he got there, well it could be he has some tricks up his sleeve but how did anyone get there? Besides, for all we know it took him the full 10 years to get there and he looks like a resourceful guy, doesn’t he?

We don’t know much about Dre-ahn yet and maybe we won’t learn much more about him but from that first image it appeared that he lived in a pretty rugged, desolate place. What more desolate place is there on the map than that one. Maybe he can *jink*

Finally got the new issue.
My thoughts:
A little bit too much content for one issue! If found that difficult back in KotBW #7. Same same now. Poor Aurek was alone for thousands of years, yet he barely gets any “screentime”.
Rayek and Winnowill: Sorry, I don’t buy it. He HAD to go because of “Rogue’s Curse”, but I’d prefer if that storyline wasn’t canon. It just doesn’t make any sense to me. Winnowill is a spirit anyway. Within his mind or out of him as a free spirit – is that really that much a difference to him? Why does he love her so much? It’s not recognition, after all.
The Call: Too bad it’s only an irritation to the tree-elves. Does that mean they won’t come to the palace at all? Please, no! I want to see them! I want to know everything about them!
Shuna’s statement about the hidden ones: Very clever! But I agree with Violethue: It’s the Original Quest-revelation in a nutshell.
Two-Edge: I’m not sure about him. Is he up to something? But what!?
The Trolls: Good to have them back. Is Trinket an adult now? Supposed to be, but it’s hard to tell from the panel.
The Djun: I’m glad he just died. It will be interesting so see what happens to his people now, especially after Shuna’s, Kimo’s and Shenshen’s work.
Dre-Ahn: He came to Blue Mountain during these ten years, which is why Skywise, who flew back and forth from time to time, already knows him, right? I want to know his story! Talk, Dre-Ahn! Or, at least, send!
Timmain: Jeez, stargirl really is Timmain. My bets were on the tree-elves. What does that mean? Why did she shapechange? And WHAT will be her BIG revelation in the next issue!? I still have absolutely no clue. Something about wolfblood? Something about Skywise? Something about the stars? Aaaah, tell me right now!!

A last thought about Wendy’s art: I love it, I always have and I always will. But I find the copy-and-paste-technique difficult sometimes. She used the same image of Savah over and over again in the past issues, just changing her facial expressions. Same with Aurek this time: Seven panels with Aurek, four times the same “blueprint” (once mirrored). I am totally aware of her reasons, and I would probably do the same, but am I the only one who … well … wished it was like back in the old days?

I just discovered that here on the characters-site on elfquest.com, Ingen and Jarrah are among the beloved dead! It says they WERE Rayeks parents. So there are details in the story that changed over the years, right?

“I just discovered that here on the characters-site on elfquest.com, Ingen and Jarrah are among the beloved dead! It says they WERE Rayeks parents. So there are details in the story that changed over the years, right?”

Good catch. The character profiles (as well as other supplemental resources like the Gatherums or the Wolfriders Guide to the World of Two Moons) are always secondary to what happens in the story. We update the website info in cases like this when we discover that something isn’t accurate based on how Wendy and Richard are telling the story.

Very much enjoying (alright, obsessing over) the new art and storyline! Really wanting to see more of the tree-elves! However, I have a feeling everything we have become so comfortable with is about to change. Think back to the Palace Quest when beloved characters died. It’s about to get real, and nothing will be the same. (not sure if I like that) Been looking for clues in Future-quest, funny how two scenes have stuck with me and I had to search very hard to find: now I want to know: who are M’ren and Ahnavi descended from? Who else is there with them, and why? and what are they doing out there bouncing around the universe anyway? (and if I shouldn’t be asking that, I will not be offended if this post doesn’t show up – much love to all the folks involved with Elfquest, and thanks for such an amazing story that I keep coming back to again and again!!